The Scars We Carry: How Dysfunctional Culture in Families AffectOur Personalities

Abstract

Family is a basic nurturing unit for a human being where he builds his identity and navigates the world as a social creature. A functional family promotes a healthy upbringing of its child not only in terms of its physical but also emotional needs, which is what today’s age demands. Dysfunctional families represent a complex social phenomenon characterized by various dysfunctional dynamics, conflicts, and maladaptive behaviour’s among family members. Dysfunctional families aren’t conducive to an individual’s inclusive growth. This study targets those families who have been a failure in providing their children according to the changing times of contemporary. This study is know-how about the long-term repercussions on various aspects of the life of an individual who has been growing up in a dysfunctional family.
This qualitative research involves a sample size of 35 individuals using purposive and snowball sampling methods. It includes in-depth interviews of 30 and case studies from 5 interviewees hailing from dysfunctional family backgrounds. Drawing upon empirical literary reviews, and anthropological and psychological theories, this endeavour is framed by Margaret Mead’s cultural impacts on personality formation and Dr Murray Bowen’s family system theory to analyze the study. Lastly, this
exploration provides a comprehensive overview of specific characteristics of dysfunctional families due to the absence of proper emotional attention from the parents. It highlights the multifaceted consequences of growing up in a dysfunctional family environment, encompassing psychological and emotional repercussions.
Finally, it underscores that, from impaired interpersonal relationships to low selfesteem, the effects of dysfunctional family dynamics can extend well into adulthood, influencing a person’s social and personal life.